Fit For A King
by kaela097
Summary: Chuck's birthday brings him nothing but sadness. For twenty-nine years he refused to even celebrate it. Blair and their children want to change that this year. Another story in my long running Chair Saga.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**This story starts a few months after the events of 'Life's Unexpected Surprises' ends. This is going to be a short and sweet story. Approximately five chapters. I love my fluff.**

"Come on, Charlotte, time to go to your friend's birthday party," Blair called out for her daughter as she was pulling on her warmest spring coat. Of course one of her daughter's little friends would choose to have a birthday party on what was turning out to be the coldest day of the spring just a few days after all Blair's winter wear had been put away for the season. Thankfully it wasn't an outdoor party.

"I'm ready, Mommy," Charlotte announced herself as she appeared in the entryway dressed in her favorite little red dress with matching hair ribbon. On her feet was a pair of ruby red slippers that would have made Dorothy from 'The Wizard of Oz' proud.

"You look very pretty, Sweetheart," Blair smiled as she kissed the top of her daughter's head, "Where's your present for your friend?"

"Oh, I forgot," Charlotte stated as she darted back towards her bedroom to retrieve her gift. She'd gone on a special shopping trip with her mother and godmother to pick it out, and she was so proud of it.

Charlotte returned to the entryway with an expertly wrapped box in her hand and slipped into her red wool coat with Dorota's help. Blair couldn't hide the smile that escaped. Her daughter was inheriting her fashion sense, as she was always perfectly put together.

"Have fun at party, Miss Charlotte," Dorota stated.

"I will," Charlotte replied as she and her mother stepped onto the elevator. It was on the ride down to the lobby of their building that Charlotte had a thought, "Mommy, when is Daddy's birthday party?"

"Sorry, Sweetie, but Daddy doesn't celebrate his birthday," Blair explained as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. She grasped her daughter's hand and walked with her to the waiting limo outside.

"How come?" Charlotte gasped. Not celebrating a birthday was unfathomable to the spoiled princess. Each of her birthdays had come with a gigantic pile of gifts and a party for her to soak up all the attention. That someone would actually not want to celebrate a birthday seemed impossible.

"Remember how Daddy's mom died the same day he was born?" Blair asked gently as she ushered her daughter into the limo after receiving a sympathetic smile from their long time driver, Arthur.

"Yes," Charlotte frowned.

"And remember how sad Daddy gets on the anniversary of when Grandpa Bart died?" Blair added.

"Yes," Charlotte nodded.

"Well, Daddy gets sad on the day his mommy died too. He doesn't celebrate his birthday because that is the same day she died," Blair explained, "It's not a happy day for him."

"But he doesn't want presents?" Charlotte inquired with her innocent doe eyes opened wide.

"He doesn't need presents, Sweetheart," Blair smiled softly as she tugged at one of Charlotte's curls, "He has everything that he needs. He has you and Brice and Aiden and…"

"Mommy," Charlotte chimed in happily.

"That's right," Blair replied, "So, we don't celebrate his birthday. We celebrate all the other days of the year instead."

"But I want to buy him a present," Charlotte pouted.

"You can buy him a Christmas present," Blair stated.

"When's Christmas?" Charlotte inquired.

"It's seven months away," Blair quickly did the math in her head.

"That's a long time," Charlotte pouted, "When is Daddy's birthday?"

"Less than a month," Blair replied. She'd looked at the calendar earlier that morning and realized she had best be preparing herself for the change in his mood. Past experience told her that the closer to his birthday it got, the quieter and moodier he would get. It was all kept behind closed doors so their children were oblivious, but Blair knew that would change as the children got older.

"I want to buy him a present," Charlotte proclaimed yet again, "So Daddy has to have a birthday this year, and we can have cake and ice cream and balloons and streamers and hats."

"Slow down, Sweetheart," Blair chortled at her daughter's enthusiasm, "Daddy isn't going to have a birthday just because you want him to. You don't want him to get mad at us for having a party for him, do you?"

"No," Charlotte frowned, "You talk to him, Mommy. He'll have a birthday if you ask him to."

"I don't think so, Princess," Blair replied as she tapped her daughter's nose, "But I'll try, okay?"

"Okay," Charlotte replied as she began mentally planning out her daddy's party in her head. She had no doubt that her mother was going to be able to convince him. Midway through her party planning, another thought popped into her head. "What do I get Daddy for his birthday?"

"One step at a time, Charlotte," Blair giggled as she hugged her daughter as their limo pulled up to the building of Charlotte's friend.

* * *

"Someone has a birthday coming," Blair cooed in Chuck's ear as they lay in bed, enjoying the rare quietness of the early morning. All three of their children were still sound asleep, so there was nothing forcing them out of bed. Her finger was tracing random patterns into his chest.

"Like every other year, it's okay if we skip that day," Chuck told her as he remained on his back though she felt him tense at her statement.

"You say that every year," she shook her head in amusement as she began planted open mouth kissed up and down his abdomen, "I haven't listened to you yet. I'm certainly not going to this year."

"Blair, you know how I feel about that day," he groaned as he tried to resist her advanced. It was pointless as he had no willpower when it came to her, but he tried anyways.

"And you know how I feel about it," she murmured against his skin, "Yes, your mother died that day and it's okay to be sad about that, but you were born that day as well. That deserves to be celebrated."

"I'd rather celebrate the day I was reborn when I told you I loved you for the first time," he replied.

"You and I already celebrate that day," Blair told him pointedly, her teeth scraping against his nipple in a scolding manner, "The children are getting to that age where they are starting to understand that Daddy doesn't have a birthday. They want to give you the kind of party that they get every year. Charlotte even wants me to take her shopping for a present for you. She says she's been saving her allowance to buy you a worthy present."

Chuck groaned in reply. He hadn't been aware that Charlotte was saving her money. They'd been giving their children an allowance since Charlotte was four. Mostly Charlotte spent her money on accessories for her dolls. It never occurred to him that she could be saving her money to spend on him.

"Chuck, the children want to make this day special for you," Blair added as she stopped her assault to bat her lashes, "Please let them. It will mean so much."

"To them or their mother," Chuck inquired as he entwined his fingers into hers, "I'm fairly certain that one of our children is completely oblivious to the fact that it is my birthday."

"Because he's a baby with no verbalization skills," Blair replied, "But if he had the ability, he'd be wanting to wish you a 'Happy Birthday' just like the rest of us."

"Fine," he caved, "This one year, we'll celebrate, but don't get too excited. This is not going to set any precedent. Think of this as the Halley's Comet of birthdays. It happens once every seventy-five years."

"We'll see about that," Blair stated as she tapped his chest as she pushed the bedcovers away.

"Where are you going?" Chuck asked as he grasped her hand before she could get out of bed. She wound him up, now she had to follow through.

"I'm going to check on Aiden," Blair replied as she wiggled free from his grasp, "It's not like him to sleep this late."

"Hurry back," Chuck replied as he relaxed back against the soft mattress and stared up at the ceiling. A few moments passed before a long groan escaped from the back of his throat. He dreaded the date his birthday drew near when it appeared on the calendar. Blair had understood over the years. Her celebrations had been limited to a simple dinner and sexy lingerie. With his children thrown into the mix, there was no telling what the day could bring.

"Someone wants his daddy," Blair stated as she returned to their bedroom with her wide-eyed infant son in her arms. She placed Aiden on Chuck's chest.

"That's a switch," Chuck stated as he curled up with Aiden in his arms. Unlike his two siblings, Aiden was a 'Momma's Boy'. Usually given a choice, Aiden preferred to be in his mother's arms over those of his father, but there were days when Daddy's would do.

"I should get in the shower," Blair stated, "Charlotte and Brice will be waking soon. Charlotte wants to go shopping, and Nate is coming over to take Brice for the day. You get Aiden all to yourself."

"How did I get so lucky?" Chuck smiled as he rubbed his son's back as a small puddle of drool pool at his shoulder. Blair saw the drool and quickly retrieved a towel from the bathroom for Chuck, though he didn't appear to mind. He'd worn all sorts of bodily fluid over the years courtesy of his children, and drool was the least of his worries. "What are we going to do today, Aiden?"

"While you two chat, I'm going to shower," Blair announced.

By the time Blair was out of the shower, Chuck had two additional bedmates, Charlotte and Brice. Brice's dog, Barty, was adding his own soundtrack at the foot of the bed as the older two jumped all over their father as laughter filled the room.

"How long was I in there?" Blair laughed as she took in the scene. Both children were aware that Aiden was in their father's arms, so they didn't jump directly on him, but Chuck was being bounced all over the bed. Aiden was laughing at the ride he was being taken on courtesy of his older siblings.

"Long enough for these two to coordinate a sneak attack," Chuck laughed along with his children as he held his youngest son tight with one hand and the bed linens with the other.

"Okay, you two, enough jumping on Mommy and Daddy's bed," Blair announced as she caught Charlotte mid jump and returned her to the floor before she snagged Brice. "You two need to get dressed. We all have busy days ahead of us."

Charlotte and Brice let out a chorus of groans at having to leave the bedroom. They liked piling on Daddy because he never retaliated with anything more than a good tickling. With Aiden in his arms, even that wasn't an option.

"You left me defenseless," Chuck laughed as he sat up with Aiden still against his chest. His son had been toying with going back to sleep until the surprise attack of his siblings. Now he was truly wide awake, "Not only did I have my hands full with Aiden, but all I had to cover my lower half was that comforter."

Blair burst out laughing as she handed him his robe at the end of the bed before she reclaimed Aiden. "It's not anything they haven't seen before. They walk in enough without knocking."

"We need to resume our privacy lessons," Chuck replied as he wrapped the robe around his body and tied the sash tight.

**TBC...**

**I don't recall them ever mentioning when Chuck's birthday is, so I'm taking creative license here.**

**I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

**Shout out to my beta Lori2279 for all her help.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**I hope you all are enjoying the continuation to this newest story.**

**Additionally, I want to thank those of you that pointed out that Chuck's passport in the show says he was born in January. You all are very observant. In any case, I'm going to keep my timeline the same. Call it creative license.**

**Enjoy.**

"Alright, Charlotte, today we shop for Daddy's birthday present," Blair announced as she strolled towards Fifth Avenue with her daughter, hand in hand. "Have you decided what you want to get him yet?"

"Yes," Charlotte nodded as she pulled out a picture that she'd torn out of one of her mother's fashion magazines the evening before. The picture was of a Cartier watch.

"That's a very pretty watch, but it also looks very expensive," Blair smiled, "Are you sure you have enough money to pay for it?"

"Yep," Charlotte responded confidently.

Blair eyed her child curiously. Yes, her daughter's monthly allowance was considerable. With her father wrapped around her finger Blair knew Charlotte tucked away a handful of bills each time Chuck was feeling generous, but Blair wondered if Charlotte truly had enough for such an extravagant purchase.

"Okay," Blair replied, "The best place to find a Cartier watch is at Cartier, so we'd better start there." She was prepared herself for the very real possibility that Charlotte wouldn't have enough for the purchase she had in mind, but she'd make sure that her daughter could get her husband the gift she wanted without having to be embarrassed about not having enough to pay for it.

Once inside the store, the sales people were tripping over themselves in their eagerness to get to Blair and Charlotte. Though Blair had always experienced good service, becoming a Bass had improved her perks exponentially.

"What can I help you with today, Mrs. Bass?" the lucky sales clerk, Cate, inquired after seating the pair in one of their private show rooms.

"I want to buy my daddy this watch," Charlotte stated as she set the picture down, taking control of the situation and making sure the sales clerk knew who was in charge.

The salesperson looked nervously at Blair. The picture was one of the most expensive watches the store carried, and she couldn't see how such a small child could have the money to pay for it, even if her last name happened to be Bass.

"How about I bring you a wide selection of watches?" the salesperson offered with a smile, "You might even find one that you like better."

Charlotte nodded as the sales clerk returned to the sales floor to pull out samples of the various watches they carried.

"Charlotte, sweetheart, do you know how much money you have to spend?" Blair asked gently.

Charlotte produced a large wad of bills from her coat that had Blair's eyes go wide. Where had her daughter gotten so much money?

"Charlotte, is that just your allowance money?" Blair gasped.

"Allowance and birthday money," Charlotte replied.

"How about we count it out to make sure we have enough?" Blair suggested. Though her suggestion was more about curiosity than actual need. She was fairly certain that her daughter had enough for the watch she had hoped to buy, and as they counted Blair realized her daughter probably had enough for two identical watches.

The sales clerk heard mother and daughter counting out just as she was returning with several watches she thought would be in the young girl's price range. As they kept counting, the clerk realized she had to rethink the price range. She had to return several times before mother and daughter finished counting. It became clear that whatever item the little girl was shown, she had more than enough money to pay for it.

"Charlotte, we are going to have a talk with Daddy about your allowance, and I think it would be a good idea to open up a bank account of your very own to put all this money in because little girls should not be walking around big cities with this much cash in their pockets," Blair stated once she and Charlotte had finished counting. She couldn't believe that her daughter had that much money, nor that it actually fit into the pocket of her coat.

"Okay, Mommy," Charlotte nodded.

"I'm going to hold onto this, okay," Blair stated as she held the money for her daughter until they completed the forthcoming transaction.

Charlotte continued to bob her head as the sales clerk returned with several choices. In the end, Charlotte chose the same watch from the picture she'd brought in. The sales clerk agreed to wrap up the purchase as Charlotte counted out the money she would need. Blair was still in disbelief as they set bill after bill on the counter.

"Charlotte, while we're shopping, why don't we get you a purse and wallet so you don't have to carry your money in your pocket when we go shopping?" Blair suggested as they waited patiently for the sales clerk to return once again.

"No," Charlotte shook her head, "We're shopping for Daddy today."

"I don't think he'd mind if you bought yourself a little something special while you were shopping for him. In fact, I think he'd be a little disappointed," Blair chuckled at her little girl's most recent demonstration that she was definitely her father's daughter.

"Um, Mrs. Bass, we're not used to cash," the sales clerk nervously informed Blair as she returned from wrapping up Charlotte's gift to her father to see a large pile of bills laying on the counter.

"But can you accommodate it?" Blair inquired.

"Yes," the clerk agreed hesitantly having eyed her boss a few steps away nodding in confirmation that they would make the exception. The world bent to the will of the Bass family, this store would certainly be no different.

"Good," Blair smiled. A few minutes later she was handed the change for Charlotte's purchase and the bag with Chuck's gift. She handed Charlotte the change to put into her pocket as she smiled at how proud Charlotte was of the purchase she had made. "Daddy is going to love your present."

"As much as the bowtie I gave him for Christmas?" Charlotte asked hopefully.

"If not more," Blair nodded as she tugged affectionately at one of her daughter's curled pigtails, "So, how about we go get that purse for you?"

"Okay," Charlotte replied as she took the shopping bag that her mother was handing her.

"Hang onto that, Princess," Blair stated as she took her daughter's hand and walked her out of Cartier and down the street to her favorite place to shop for handbags, Gucci. She was sure her daughter would find something suitable as she had the same expensive taste. As they left Cartier, Blair could hear the commotion from the sales clerks about their most recent transaction. All were in disbelief that such a little girl would have paid cash for such an expensive present without batting an eyelash.

Charlotte skipped alongside her mother without a care in the world, chatting happily about the purchase she'd just made. She was so proud of herself.

In Gucci, Charlotte didn't waste a moment as she pointed to a dark purple purse just out of her reach and proclaimed as she jumped up and down in excitement, "Mommy, that one."

Blair took the purse down from the shelf for her daughter to inspect, glancing at the price curiously. Naturally Charlotte had managed to find one of the more expensive purses in the store in her first crack.

"You are definitely my daughter," Blair chuckled as Charlotte slung the purse over her shoulder like she'd watched her mother do on countless occasions to test it out.

"I like the color," Charlotte announced as she admired the deep purple hue.

"And you are your father's daughter too. Let's find you a wallet to match."

Charlotte continued to skip alongside her mother as they went to the accessory section.

"I want that one," Charlotte pointed to the coin purse that was the same purple color as the purse she was holding. The coin purse had added rhinestones that caught Charlotte's eye.

"I like that one too," Blair smiled as she handed it to Charlotte, "That's a good choice."

"I need a new coat to match my purse," Charlotte announced as they went to the counter to pay for her new items.

"How about we have lunch first?"

"Okay," Charlotte stated as the clerk rang up the purchases. Charlotte pulled out more money from her coat pocket to pay for the purchase, but Blair told her to put it away. These new items were on her, or rather Chuck, who had handed over his credit card as they'd left that morning.

"Thank you, Mommy," Charlotte smiled.

"You can thank Daddy later," Blair smirked as she signed the sales slip.

* * *

"Uncle Nate, what do I get Dad for his birthday?" Brice asked as they played with Barty in the park on that early spring day. Barty was going to need a good scrubbing before they returned to Blair and Chuck's home as he'd already found several mud puddles to play in and was covered. He no longer looked golden, mostly brown, and that was going to get Nate into a lot of trouble with Blair if he'd brought the dog home covered in his current filth.

"I don't know, Buddy," Nate replied, "I've never gotten your dad a birthday gift before. This is new for me too." He still couldn't believe that after all these years Blair finally managed to convince his best friend to celebrate his birthday.

"Charlotte gave him a bowtie for Christmas. He liked that," Brice stated.

"What did you get him?" Nate asked.

"A belt, I think," Brice responded after a moment of thought. He hadn't actually bought his father the present. His mother had gone shopping for him, but he didn't want to do that for his father's birthday. Even at such a young age, he'd recognized the specialness of his father's upcoming celebration. "He wears Charlotte's bowtie a lot."

"I'm sure he wears your belt too," Nate reassured him, "How about you get your dad a new wallet?"

"Dad doesn't use a wallet," Brice responded.

"A money clip then," Nate suggested.

"Yeah, maybe," Brice sighed as he recalled the picture that Charlotte had shown off that morning before Chuck emerged from his bedroom for breakfast.

"What's wrong?" Nate knelt down next to him.

"Charlotte is buying a watch she saw in one of Mommy's magazines. I want to get him something just as nice," Brice replied.

"Whatever you get your dad, he will love it because it came from one of his favorite people," Nate assured him as he bent down to tie the boy's shoes, even though he knew Brice was just as capable of doing it himself, "It's not a competition between you and your sister. Your dad loves you."

"Yeah, I guess," Brice shrugged.

"How about we find someplace to wash Barty, return him to the penthouse, and then I'll take you shopping?" Nate offered.

"Okay," Brice nodded as he whistled for Barty, who came running, wagging his tail as he waited for Brice to leash him up.

* * *

"Where's Chuck?" Blair inquired as she and Charlotte returned from their day of shopping. Chuck was nowhere in sight, nor was he answering their calls.

"Shhh, Mrs. Blair," Dorota scurried into the entryway with her finger to her lips, "Misters Chuck and Aiden are sleeping."

"Sleeping," Blair chuckled, "Did Aiden wear his father out?"

"I'm going to hide Daddy's present in my bedroom," Charlotte announced as she darted off to her room to search out her best hiding spot.

"Are they both really asleep?" Blair asked her housekeeper.

"They look so cute," Dorota nodded as she led Blair to the media room. Not only were they sound asleep, but there were sounds of some kiddy movie filling the room. It was the movie that Aiden reacted to the most when they had family movie night once a month.

"Chuck," Blair whispered in his ear as she kissed his temple.

Chuck moaned in his sleep but didn't wake.

Blair slowly peeled his hands away from his son and lifted Aiden into her arms before turning towards Dorota, "Will you put Aiden in his crib?"

"Yes, Mrs. Blair," Dorota nodded as she flitted out of the room with Aiden before Blair could advance upon Chuck.

Blair gently parked herself in his lap, wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed herself against his chest, biting softly on his Adam's apple. Chuck let out a soft moan. His hands tightened around her waist, but he continued to sleep.

"Chuck," Blair whispered in his ear again as she nibbled on his earlobe.

"Blair," Chuck moaned softly.

She paused for a moment to check on the progress she was making in waking him. His eyes were still closed. He was still asleep. Blair began doubting her seduction abilities, but she gave it one more try as her lips ghosted against his, slowly adding more pressure. His hands tightened against her waist again, and he moaned a little louder as his lips moved against hers. Without warning his tongue plunged into her mouth. He was definitely awake as he shifted so he could lay her out as his hands roamed her body.

Without warning, he suddenly pulled back. "Where's Aiden?"

"Dorota took him," Blair chuckled.

"Thank goodness," he sighed in relief as he attacked her with renewed vigor, but their moment was abruptly ended when Charlotte bounced into the room.

"Hi, Daddy," she announced herself, ignoring the compromising state she'd found her parents in. It was far too common to cause her any embarrassment.

"Hi, Princess," Chuck replied as he brought his hands to more neutral territory on his wife's body as Charlotte plopped herself down in front of the screen to watch the rest of the movie that was playing. Chuck turned towards his wife, "I guess this will have to wait until later."

"I guess so," Blair chuckled as she slid off Chuck's lap.

"Charlotte, did you and Mommy have fun shopping?" Chuck inquired as he pulled his daughter into his lap.

"Yep, Mommy bought me a purse, a purple one," she bobbed her head, "And then we had to buy me a new coat to go with it."

"Yes, it's important to always coordinate with our accessories," he chuckled, "Did you buy me anything?"

"Nope," Charlotte shook her head without missing a beat. Blair nearly choked on her own surprise. Her daughter had lied to her father without a second thought, and she was rather convincing in doing so.

"No," he pouted, "Did Mommy buy me anything?"

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders in reply.

"Did you buy yourself anything?" he inquired.

"I bought some new dresses for my dolls," she replied.

"That's good," he responded as he began tickling her. Chuck loved to tickle his daughter. He loved the laugh that it brought out. Their children were, for the most part, very happy children. Brice was a brooder, but even he was happy most of the time.

"Daddy, stop!" Charlotte pleaded with him as she did her best to break free from his grasp as her laughter filled the room. "Mommy, help!"

"Tickle Daddy," Blair instructed her daughter as she crept closer and started tickling Chuck's rib cage. Charlotte turned to go on the attack. Chuck tried to retaliate, but there were too many opponents. He did the only thing he could as he broke free and darted out of the room.

Charlotte cheered her victory as Blair laughed on, pulling her daughter into a hug.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"So a birthday party," Nate spoke to Chuck as he dropped Brice off after spending a few hours shopping with his godson, "That's new."

"Blair's idea," he grumbled.

"Well it's about damn time," Nate stated as he tapped his best friend's back, "It took me years to figure out you never had a birthday party, and a few years more to figure out when your birthday actually was. Then I started to feel guilty because I never got you a present."

"Don't worry about it," Chuck replied, "You don't need to get me anything this year either. You're horrible at giving gifts."

"Just for that I'm going to get you the ugliest tie in the world," Nate chuckled.

"What you call ugly I'll probably call couture," Chuck laughed.

"How about a drink?" Nate inquired.

"Bar's in my office," Chuck motioned him towards the room.

"How about a drink elsewhere?" Nate clarified, "We never meet for drinks anymore."

"I have three children, Archibald," Chuck reminded him, "I don't get a lot of free time."

"That's always your excuse," Nate groaned, "Blair still finds time to shop with Serena, so I think you can find time to have a drink with your best friend. Come on. A couple of drinks won't kill you."

"Chuck, go ahead," Blair encouraged him as she came into the entryway with Aiden on her hip. He'd obviously just woken up from his nap as he had his grumpy, pouty face on display.

"Hi, Aiden," Nate reached out for Aiden's hand and shook it, "How are you, Little Man?"

"Tired," Blair stated as Aiden yanked his hand away and laid his head against his mother's chest, "He just woke up from his nap."

"He's such a handsome little man," Nate stated, "Must be Blair's genes."

"And why would I want to have drinks with you?" Chuck thought out loud.

"Go, have fun," Blair urged her husband, "I have everything under control here."

"I'll be back in time for dinner," Chuck vowed as he kissed her lips lightly before he kissed the top of Aiden's head.

"Try to keep Nate out of trouble," Blair snickered as Chuck grabbed his coat from the hall closet.

"Are you going to give me back my credit card?" Chuck inquired as he held out his hand expectantly.

"You're no fun," she pouted as she reached for her purse on the hall table and dug through it until she produced his requested card.

"It still feels warm," he teased as he kissed her once more, "You have your own, with the same limits."

"But yours is more fun to use," she smirked, "The sales ladies seem to turn green with envy each time I pull it out and sign 'Mrs. Chuck Bass'."

"This is why I'm not married," Nate told Chuck as they made their way to the elevator, "I couldn't hand over my credit card."

"If you were married to my wife you would," Chuck laughed, "She's too darn irresistible to say no to."

"Yet another reason why it was for the best that we didn't work out," Nate laughed along with him as they stepped on the elevator.

"I think Uncle Nate just tried to insult me," Blair told her son, "As if I would have ever married him."

Aiden seemed to find her statement funny as he began to giggle.

"See, even Aiden finds that absurd," Blair proclaimed as she got her son to wave goodbye to his father.

* * *

"Uncle Nate took Daddy out for drinks. That gives us the perfect opportunity to start planning out his birthday party," Blair stated as she gathered her children in the dining room with a pen and some paper at the ready to make some serious plans. She also pulled out several items she'd used to plan her last little soiree, so she was well prepared, "So where should we have Daddy's party?"

"Here," Brice stated with only mild interest as he played with one of his handheld electronic games.

"The Palace," Charlotte chimed in.

"Should we have a theme?" Blair inquired as she wrote down both of their ideas.

"Happy Birthday, Daddy!" Charlotte exclaimed as she threw out her arms in excitement.

"That's not a theme, Sweetie," Blair chuckled, "Remember your last birthday was a princess party, and Brice, your birthday was baseball themed."

"Princess party," Charlotte proclaimed.

"Dad doesn't want a princess party," Brice groaned.

"Do you have any ideas, Brice?" Blair prompted him.

"Not a princess party," was his only response.

"How about we keep with the royal theme?" Blair offered, "Since Charlotte is Daddy's princess and you and Aiden are his princes, how about we make Daddy king for the day. We can even get Daddy a crown to wear for the day."

"That's dumb," Brice replied.

"Is not," Charlotte replied.

"Is too," Brice insisted.

"Okay, okay, that's enough. No arguing," Blair halted any further argument. She knew from experience that they were moments away from shoving each other, which always seemed to end with someone in tears. "How about we just stick to a simple birthday theme?"

"Happy Birthday, Daddy!" Charlotte proclaimed again.

"Happy Birthday, Daddy, it is," Blair chuckled as she wrote it down, "We'll hire a string quartet to play music, so we can all dance. We'll let The Palace cater the food, and we'll have the best cake decorator design Daddy the biggest and best cake he's ever seen."

"Are we done?" Brice moaned.

"I suppose I can work on the guest list myself," Blair sighed, "Is there anyone that you want me to invite for you?"

"Billy," Brice responded without a second thought. Tripp and Maureen Vanderbilt's middle child ended up being the same age as Brice. They'd met up at a fundraising carnival Nate had hosted for the housing project that he worked for. The duo immediately hit it off and were now inseparable. Billy liked to come over and play with Barty as his parents wouldn't allow him to have a dog due to his older brother's allergy to them.

"What about you, Charlee?" Blair inquired as she wrote down the Vanderbilts.

Charlotte began rambling down the list of the friends that she wanted at the party. Charlotte hadn't found a best friend like Blair had found in Serena. She had several really good friends, and they traveled in a pack. When they were together the giggling never ended. Sleepover were becoming a way of life in the Bass household, and Brice always begged to stay elsewhere on those evenings as the girls would not leave him alone.

After Charlotte finished with her ramblings, Blair excused her two oldest. Aiden was chewing on cereal in his high chair as Blair kept working on her guest list for the party. She was so immersed in the details that she didn't hear the elevator chime or her husband approach.

"You're so sexy when you're concentrating," Chuck whispered in her ear as he began to nibble.

"Chuck," Blair gasped in surprise. Chuck laughed at her reaction, which had Aiden laughing with him. "You're home already?"

"Couldn't stay away," Chuck replied as Aiden reached towards him with a piece of cereal in his hand. Chuck opened his mouth as Aiden popped it right in. "Thank you, Aiden," he replied as he kissed the top of his son's head.

"I thought you'd be gone at least another hour," Blair replied as she quickly began gathering all her things before he could get a close up look.

"Two drinks are my limit these days," he replied as he lifted Aiden out of the highchair. His eyes drifted towards the list she was working on. "What's that, Blair?"

"This, oh nothing," she stated as she quickly covered it before he could look any further.

"That looked like a guest list," he concluded.

"It's just a few people," Blair insisted as he reached for it.

"Blair, I don't want you making this big a deal," Chuck groaned as he was able to snatch the list from her, "Family and close friends is more than enough."

"Reverse roles," Blair protested, "What do you do for every one of my birthdays? You make a big deal. You invite everyone. You go over the top."

"So this is payback," he concluded.

"No, this is me wanting to celebrate you on the one day of the year that has been set aside just for you," she replied.

"I'm not the only person to have been born on that particular day," he grumbled.

"But you're the only person that I know and love so much that was born on that particular day," she smiled, "If someone else happens to attend that is also celebrating a birthday that day, I'll let you invite them up when you blow out your candles."

"Blair," he drew out her name in a long groan.

"The children and I want to make a big deal about this," Blair pouted, "You've already said that this is a Halley's Comet type of event. Odd are that you and I are not going to live to see your hundred and fifth birthday, so this is the only chance I get. I'm making the most of the chance I'm being given."

"If I amend the reoccurrence of this event, will you tone it down?" he tossed out.

"No," she shook her head, "You've missed out on twenty-nine years of birthdays. I'm making up for that."

"Your guest list is five hundred people long," he pointed out as he glanced down the list again, "That's not making up for the lack of birthday festivities, that's blowing it right out of the water."

"How many people are on my birthday guest lists?" she tossed back as she snatched the list from him.

"This is different," he insisted, "I don't even know five hundred people."

"That's bull," she scoffed, "You probably knew five hundred women back in your youth."

"I never knew their names," he gave her a Cheshire grin.

"Doesn't matter," she huffed, "These five hundred invitations are going out so deal with it."

Chuck began muttering under his breath softly so Aiden couldn't pick up on it.

"You can curse me out all you want, but if you're cursing me, you're also cursing Charlotte, Brice, and Aiden. They are involved in this too," she responded calmly, "As is Lily, Serena and Nate. So put on a happy face and deal with it."

Chuck let out a long groan that followed him all the way to his bedroom where he threw himself onto the bed with Aiden cozied up against his chest and resumed his muttering, deciding to curse the situation rather than the individuals putting him in the situation. He didn't have it in him to curse out his wife or children.

"He's really not excited about this party, is he?" Serena chuckled as she heard Chuck's fading groan as Dorota lead her into the dining room where Blair's party planning lists, samples, and supplies were quickly being put away.

"He doesn't like when people make a fuss over him," Blair explained, "You should see what he's like when he's sick in bed."

"I'll pass," Serena scrunched her nose in reply, "So how are the plans coming along?"

"Well, the children and I discussed it. We're going to have the event at The Palace and let them cater it. I need to find a fabulous cake decorator for the birthday cake. I have a guest list written out," Blair stated, "I still need to work out decorations and get the invitations sent out."

"Plus I'd work out ways around any possible excuses that husband of yours might make to avoid the party on the night of the event," Serena replied, "We both know he's going to try getting out of it."

"The only way he's going to get out of it is if he's six feet under," Blair responded, "Just being dead isn't going to be a valid excuse. He has to be in the ground otherwise I'm going to dress him up and prop him in a corner of the room."

"Blair, that's morbid," Serena groaned in reply.

"Is there a reason for your visit?" Blair inquired, "Or are you here for one of our chef's fantastic meals?"

"I thought I'd offer up my services to help with this party," Serena replied, "With Mom out of town until the day before the party, she wanted me to make sure that you get any help that you might need."

"She is going to be here for the party though, isn't she?"

"Of course," Serena nodded, "She's cutting her trip short to be home for this. She's so upset with herself for scheduling her trip during his birthday as it is."

"Chuck would prefer if everyone was out of the country on his birthday, me included," Blair sighed.

"Well, we are going to give him the best birthday party ever," Serena stated, "So what do you need me to do?"

Blair handed her the guest list to review and add or subtract anyone as she saw fit.

**TBC...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Whoa, where are you going, Charlotte?" Blair caught her daughter flying towards her parents' bedroom early on the morning of Chuck's birthday. The tiny brunette's tangled curls were flowing behind in her haste. Her eagerness showing as she usually brushed her hair before even leaving her bedroom, a trait she'd learned from her mother, who had the same rule.

"It's Daddy's birthday," she responded eagerly as she held up the Cartier bag in her hands, "I want to wake him up, so I can give him my present."

"Let's bring him breakfast first," Blair stated as she carried her daughter into the kitchen where Dorota was putting the finishing touches on Chuck's favorite breakfast.

"Mister Chuck's birthday breakfast almost ready," Dorota announced.

"Charlee, go wake Brice," Blair replied as she returned her daughter to her feet and tapped her backside lightly in encouragement. "I'll go get Aiden. We'll meet back here. Daddy's breakfast should be ready by then."

Charlotte scrambled out of the room, her hair flying in all directions again.

"She so cute," Dorota chuckled as she watched the little girl run along, "Remind me of a younger you."

"I'd better get Aiden. I don't think I'll be able to corral Charlotte for much longer," Blair chuckled.

"Mister Chuck be decent?" Dorota asked nervously.

"He woke up sometime in the middle of the night and slipped into his pajamas. He must be suspecting the royal treatment this morning," Blair chuckled.

* * *

"Wake up, Daddy," Charlotte exclaimed as she and Brice jumped on his bed in the same instant.

"Happy Birthday!" the duo exclaimed as they jumped right on him. If he was asleep minutes earlier, he was wide away now, tickling the children. The trio began laughing as Charlotte and Brice scrambled free.

"Happy Birthday, Daddy," Charlotte stated once again as Dorota set the tray in Chuck's lap once the children were clear of the bed.

"Thank you, Princess," Chuck replied as he took a needed sip of his espresso.

"Happy Birthday, Chuck," Blair added as Dorota took Aiden from her arms. She sat herself next to him and added a kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you," Chuck replied as he turned to capture her lips.

"Eat your breakfast, Daddy," Charlotte commanded him, "You can't have presents until you eat your breakfast." She was repeating the rule that had been set for herself and her brother over the years.

Chuck dutifully ate his meal as the children danced eagerly around him, both eager to give him their gifts.

"I think they're more eager to give you your presents than you are to accept them," Blair chuckled as she leaned against him.

"I wouldn't go that far," he laughed along with her, "I'm most anxious for one special gift that my wife will be giving me later."

Blair rolled her eyes in reply as Charlotte commanded him to eat once more as he was taking entirely too much time for her liking.

"Okay, I'm finished," Chuck announced as he handed Dorota his tray after Blair reclaimed Aiden. Charlotte and Brice both lobbed their gifts at him.

"How about Daddy opens Aiden's present first," Blair suggested as she laid a third gift gently in Chuck's lap.

"No," the pair moaned in unison.

"Daddy will open Aiden's gift first, and then he'll flip a coin to decide whose present he opens second," Blair stated calmly.

Chuck unwrapped the first gift, wrapped with care by his talented wife. Inside the box was a porcelain mold of Aiden's foot. In his office, he had two others, each provided by his other children at the same age.

"Thank you, Aiden," Chuck stated as he reached for his son's hand and kissed it softly.

"Coin flip," Charlotte commanded, breaking up the tender moment.

"I think we need to work on someone's patience skills," Blair replied, "Why don't you go find a coin for Daddy to flip?"

Charlotte and Brice raced out of the room to carry out their mother's task. Each was determined to beat the other back.

"Those are your genes flowing through her veins," Chuck laughed as Blair lowered Aiden into his arms.

"So that is what Daddy has always meant about Charlotte being payback for my youthful exuberance," Blair sighed.

"I've always loved your youthful exuberance," he replied.

"Does thirty feel any different than twenty-nine?" Blair inquired.

"I can ask you that same question," he smirked, "You are older than me after all."

"Well, nothing has begun to sag as of yet, so I'll say that thirty has been kind to me," she chuckled.

"All thirty means to me is that I've now spent half of my life completely in love with you," he responded.

"We didn't get together until we were both eighteen," she looked to him in confusion.

"I stand by my statement," he replied as he coaxed her lips to his. They were unfortunately interrupted as Charlotte and Brice reappeared, both with quarters in their hand, jockeying to get closer to their father so that he'd choose one quarter over the other. That was always the competition they had. They wanted their parents to choose one child over the other. Blair and Chuck never bit.

Blair took both quarters, brought them behind her back, mixed them up and told Chuck to choose a hand. Neither child could claim victory as they couldn't determine one coin from the other. Chuck flipped the coin, and Charlotte's present was first.

"Here, Daddy," Charlotte handed him her gift again, sticking her tongue out as Brice pouted at losing the toss. Blair reclaimed Aiden and stood back to watch the scene.

"Cartier," Chuck lifted an eyebrow towards his wife curiously as he eyed the familiar wrapping paper. He wondered if his wife had any hand in the gift he was unwrapping.

"Charlotte picked this out," Blair stated as she ran her fingers through Charlotte's hair, combing out the tangles as she went. She snickered in amusement that her daughter still hadn't taken the time to comb out her hair, "She picked it out and purchased it with her own money."

Chuck opened the box to reveal the expensive watch. His jaw dropped in surprise. He'd once spent an insane amount of money on a Cartier watch for his best friend, his gift for being the best man in his wedding, but this watch put that one to shame. His daughter had obviously spent a small fortune on his gift. "Charlotte, this is beautiful," Chuck replied as he slipped the gift onto his wrist, "You didn't have to spend so much of your money on it."

"You're my daddy," she replied with a shrug.

"Thank you, Princess," Chuck stated as he opened his arms so she could crawl right in, which she did without hesitation. She parked herself next to him, shooting her brother a triumphant look. She was confident that her brother couldn't top her.

"My turn," Brice announced confidently as he handed his father his present. It wasn't as elegantly wrapped as Charlotte's professionally wrapped gift, but he was proud of it nonetheless.

"Did Uncle Nate help you wrap that?" Blair inquired.

"No," Brice shook his head, "Vanessa did. Why? Did she do it wrong?"

"No," Blair chuckled, "It's just wrapped better than any other present that he's ever given."

Chuck slipped the paper off the box and opened it. Inside was an antique, sterling silver, Tiffany flask, complete with a certificate of authenticity. There was an elegant pattern engraved, and his initials had been added to the bottom.

"Taste it, Dad," Brice added.

Chuck looked at his son in bewilderment. The flask would have been enough, but as he shook it slightly he heard the sloshing of the liquid inside. He dutifully took a sip. Inside was the best tasting scotch he'd ever had. How had his son done such a thing?

Blair took the flask from Chuck to inspect it closer as Chuck read the additional document that came along with the certificate of authenticity. Not only was the scotch the best he'd ever tasted, but it had a curious story to go along with it.

"It was barreled the day I was born," Chuck told his wife as he continued to look at his son with such awe.

"How did you do all this, Brice?" Blair inquired as she took the tiniest of sips. She didn't have near the appreciation for the malt liquor that her husband did, but even she could tell a good one from a bad one.

"Uncle Nate took me shopping," Brice explained, "I couldn't find anything Dad would like. Uncle Nate called Vanessa. She ordered it. Uncle Nate took me to a distillery. They had special kinds. I picked this one."

"It was Bart's favorite," Chuck choked out.

"Do you like it, Dad?" Brice inquired as he took up the space on the opposite side of his father.

"I love it, Brice," he nodded as he hugged both his children tight, "I love both of my presents."

There were a few moments of silence. Blair could see that Chuck was struggling to keep his composure. "Brice, Charlotte, why don't you two go have Dorota get you your breakfast? You two deserve an extra special meal for your thoughtful gifts."

The pair cheered as they bounced out of the room, both claiming victory with their presents.

"Are you okay?" Blair asked as Chuck picked up the documents in the box Brice had given him.

"This watch – it was the most expensive Cartier had, wasn't it?" Chuck inquired as he spun it around his wrist. Naturally it fit his wrist perfectly.

"If it wasn't the most expensive, it was certainly up there," Blair confirmed.

"I'm not even going to speculate on how much Brice spent on his gift," Chuck replied, "How can these children afford such gifts?"

"You tell me," Blair replied, "Charlotte paid cash for that gift. How much do you give each of them in allowance each week?"

"Usually a couple hundred," he shrugged, "It's not a standard amount each month. I always base it on how much money I have on hand and how irresistible their doe eyes happen to be on that particular day."

"You empty your money clip on them each week, don't you," she eyed him skeptically.

Chuck remained silent so as to not incriminate himself.

"First thing next week, you are taking Charlotte and Brice to the bank and opening accounts to put all their money in. Charlotte was walking around Fifth Avenue with thousands of dollars in her pocket," Blair informed him.

Chuck nodded as Blair snuggled in next to him with Aiden in her arms.

"Happy Birthday, Bass," she smiled.

"Thank you," he replied as he stroked her hair softly.

* * *

"Why are these things always black tie?" Nate groaned as he tugged at his tie.

"To torture you," Blair snickered as she and Chuck approached him and Vanessa, "Vanessa, I love that dress."

"You should," Vanessa laughed as she glanced at her chosen ensemble. It wasn't often that Blair complimented her attire even though their relationship had gone through a transformation in the years she'd been dating Nate, "You designed it a while back. I found it in a vintage store that I frequent."

"I've gone vintage already?" Blair inquired, "I don't know if I'm ready to be vintage just yet."

"Better to be vintage than to be out of business," Nate offered.

"Very true," Blair nodded.

"How does it feel to be the big three oh?" Nate patted his best friend on the back.

"No different that twenty-nine," Chuck responded, "I have this temptress to keep me feeling young for many more decades to come."

"There's no need for flattery," Blair rolled her eyes, "You already get the trashy lingerie when we get home."

"I'm just covering my bases," he smirked as he leaned in to give her a kiss.

"What did you think of Brice's gift?" Nate inquired.

"Aside from the three children Blair gifted me, it was one of the best presents I've ever received," Chuck replied as he pulled the flask from his breast pocket and took a sip before handing it to Nate to taste.

"Wow, that's really good," Nate commented as he handed it back after taking a sip as he spied the new timepiece on his best friend's wrist, "Gift from the Mrs.?"

"Gift from the princess," Chuck glanced towards his wrist.

"Charlotte gave that to you," Nate's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Paid for it with her allowance," Blair nodded.

"I think that goddaughter of mine has been holding out on me," Nate stated as he spied Charlotte on the dance floor twirling to the music with her little friends. She was clearly the center of attention and thrived in it. "I'm expecting more than a simple tie for Christmas."

"I wouldn't," Blair laughed, "She's Daddy's Little Girl. Nothing is too expensive for her favorite person."

"Speaking of my little princess," Chuck stated as he spotted his daughter, "I should take her for a spin around the dance floor while I still have a chance. There's only a few more years when dancing with her father is even going to be allowed."

Chuck left Blair next to Nate and Vanessa as he went to pry Charlotte away from her friends. It didn't take much effort as her friends flitted away, giggling behind their hands as Charlotte and her father whirled around the dance floor.

"Where are Brice and Aiden?" Nate inquired.

"Aiden's with Daddy and Roman. The proud grandfathers are showing him off to the guests. Brice is with Billy. I suspect they are huddling in the corner somewhere planning some sort of mischief," Blair replied.

"He had to wait thirty years, but you did this up right," Nate surveyed the room, "I hope we don't have to wait another thirty years to do this again."

"Don't hold your breath," Blair sighed, "If he has his way, will be the Halley's Comet of birthdays for him. There won't be another one for him for another seventy-five years."

"We can't let that happen," Nate responded, "He deserves this type of celebration every year."

"And I agree with you, but you know how he feels about this day," Blair replied, "As far as he's concerned, this is the worse day of the year. It's a miracle that I got him here with a smile on his face and even that took some work."

"I don't want to hear how much work," Nate groaned at the mere thought.

"No, you probably don't," Blair laughed.

"Well, the party appears to be a success either way," Vanessa chimed in, "Not that there is ever a doubt. You have always known how to host a party."

"Thanks, V," Blair smiled.

"If I promise not to step on your toes, did you want to dance, Blair?" Nate offered.

"That's not a promise you can make," Blair shook her head, "Besides Vanessa is your date, remember?"

"I've stepped on his toes too many times. He won't dance with me anymore," Vanessa laughed.

"Further proof that you are a perfect match," Blair laughed. Her laughter died out as she heard the cries of her youngest son. "That's my cue. Daddy must have given Aiden to Mother."

"Maybe Serena will dance with me," Nate grumbled.

"I think someone is tired," Eleanor replied as she handed Aiden to his mother.

"It is well past his bedtime," Blair nodded as her son's head came to rest against her shoulder, "And we've had a busy day, haven't we Aiden?"

"He's such a sweet little boy," Eleanor smiled as she caressed his back softly.

Aiden was instantly out like a light.

"Does this mean we get to duck out before cake?" Chuck rushed to Blair's side upon seeing his youngest son sound asleep.

"No," Blair glared at him, "We're singing 'Happy Birthday' to you, and then you'll be blowing out those candles. Then I'll consider letting you leave."

"Bring on the cake," Chuck clapped his hands together and began rubbing them back and forth vigorously. He'd played his part, pasted on a grin, accepting the well wishes of family, friends, and acquaintances, but now he wanted to go home, put his children to bed and accept the well wishes from his wife. She'd withheld her present all day. He only had so much patience in him and it was usually reserved for his children.

"Take Aiden," Blair urged her husband to take his son, "I'll speak with the caterers about bringing out the cake."

Chuck gingerly lifted Aiden off Blair's shoulder and cradled him in his arms. The little boy didn't even flinch, which was unusual for the light sleeper that he was.

"Charles, he looks just like you did at this age in his little suit," Eleanor stated as she adjusted the little bowtie on her grandson as he slept, "It's like looking at the pictures of you as a baby that Blair was sifting through a few days ago."

"Blair had pictures of me as a baby?" Chuck repeated in surprise.

"You've never seen them?" Eleanor inquired.

"I didn't know they existed," Chuck responded. He wondered if Bart could really have had pictures of him taken as a baby and actually kept them.

His thoughts were interrupted as a chorus of "Happy Birthday" began as an elegantly decorated, multi-tier cake was wheeled into the center of the room with thirty lit candles placed all around it.

Lily took Aiden from his arms and urged him towards the cake. The little boy miraculously stayed asleep even with Serena singing off key at top volume nearby.

As the song died out, Charlotte and Brice approached to help their father blow out the candles.

"Make a wish, Daddy," Charlotte commanded as Chuck took a deep breath.

He couldn't have thought of a wish to make if he'd had a year to think about it. He had everything he'd ever wanted. He paused for a moment to sell to his daughter that he was coming up with a wish before he blew out as many candles as he could with one breath. His children took care of the rest as they hopped around the table blowing out candles as they went.

Chuck gathered Blair into his arms and added a passionate kiss. "How about that, my birthday wish came true already," he chuckled as he held her close, her eyes were glassy in response to his kiss.

She reached up to wipe her lipstick from his lips as the cake was cut and pieces were handed out to the guests.

"Can we go home now?" Chuck whispered in Blair's ear as she took a bite of the cake on his plate after feeding him the first bite. She'd refused a piece herself as she wanted to keep the trim figure she'd finally achieved after giving birth a third time, but she still wanted a taste of the scrumptious cake.

"You have to make the rounds one more time," Blair replied as she took a second bite and then a third.

"You might as well finish it," he chuckled as he handed her his plate.

"No, this is your piece," she shook her head as she refused his plate after one more small bite.

"Says the woman that ate half of it," he chuckled as he polished off the last bite of the cake.

"Finish your cake and then be the gracious guest of honor. I'll round up the children. If you behave in the meantime, I'll consider letting you leave," she replied.

"You've been considering letting me leave for the last ten minutes. I believe you were going to consider it after I blew out my candles," he glared at her.

"And I'm still considering it," she insisted, "Now go before I stop considering it."

"He's going to just walk out of here," Serena warned her best friend once Chuck was out of earshot.

"He can certainly try," Blair laughed, "But he knows that he won't get his birthday surprise."

"It's just trashy lingerie and sex, what's the big deal? He gets that every other day of the year," Serena shrugged.

"Birthdays are an entirely different occasion," Blair gave her a coy smile.

"Why do I have these talks with her?" Serena grumbled with a shake of her head as she abruptly walked away from her best friend before she could elaborate, "I just don't want to know."

Blair laughed as she went to round up her children. She too wondered why her friend brought up her sex life as much as she did. It was no secret that she detested hearing about it.

"Say goodnight to your friends, Sweetie," Blair told her daughter as she found her surrounded by her friends as they indulged themselves with a piece of cake, "We're leaving soon."

"Okay," Charlotte nodded. Blair was surprised by the lack of protest. She was sure that her daughter was going to throw a fit as she was clearly having so much fun but surprisingly there was none.

"Do you know where your brother is?" Blair inquired.

"With Grandma Lily," Charlotte pointed across the room to see Lily holding Aiden.

"How about your other brother?" Blair smiled.

"He and Billy took their cake and ran out of the ballroom," she shrugged as she forked in another bite of her dessert.

"Nate, help me find your godson," Blair caught him as he was about to return to the ballroom after stepping out to get a bit of fresh air.

"Aiden was with Lily last I saw," Nate responded.

"The other godson," Blair glared at him.

"Last I saw, he and Billy were running out of the ballroom with plates of cake in each hand," Nate replied.

"Just what that boy needs, more sugar," Blair groaned, "Which way did they go?"

"Not a clue," Nate shrugged.

"You're helping me," Blair grabbed his arm and dragged him along when he seemed intent on returning to the ballroom.

"Come on, Blair," Nate groaned as she pulled him along.

"We can revoke your godfather status if you'd like," she threatened him.

"Remember when we used to sneak off to make out when we were teenagers attending events here?" Nate decided to take a trip down memory line during their hunt for Blair's son.

"I remember you sneaking out during a brunch to meet Serena to 'talk' everything through when I was still clueless about you sleeping with her," Blair decided to take a different walk down memory lane, "But now that I look back on it, I really should be thanking you. I get to be myself with Chuck."

"That's the first time you've ever said that to me," he pointed out.

"You still cheated on me, you jerk," she thumped the heel of her hand against his shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted her son sitting on the floor, playing with a few contraband cars he must have snuck in his coat pocket in between bites of cake. "Brice Nathaniel."

"Are you scolding just your son or both of us?" Nate quipped.

"Don't start with me, Archibald," she glared at him.

"Since you found my godson, I'll be going back to the ballroom in search of someone who appreciates me," Nate replied as he backed away.

"I specifically told you that you couldn't bring your cars with tonight," Blair scowled at her son.

"I didn't, Mom," Brice gave her his puppy dog, brown eyes, "They're Billy's cars."

"Are you telling me the truth?" she challenged him.

"Yes," he insisted.

"Okay," she decided not to press him any further, "Your father is ready to leave. Say goodnight to Billy and meet us in the ballroom in two minutes."

"Okay," Brice nodded.

Blair bent down to kiss the top of his head before she returned to the ballroom to say her goodbyes to their many guests.

"Round two, done," Chuck proclaimed as he pounced on her the moment she returned to the ballroom, "May we go home now?"

"You have been a very well behaved birthday boy," she caressed his chin tenderly, "You deserve your reward."

"Finally," he groaned in relief.

"Go pry Aiden away from Grandma Lily while I say my goodbyes," she urged him towards his adopted mother as she made a quick lap to make her farewells. By the time she was done, Chuck and Brice were waiting impatiently at the door with Aiden sound asleep against Chuck's shoulder as Charlotte skipped to join them.

**TBC...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"So, Birthday Boy, was your party as horrible as you anticipated?" Blair inquired as she pulled her husband into their bedroom after tucking in the last of their children. Aiden had been uncharacteristically fussy that evening and refused to go down. Surprisingly both parents, it was Chuck that got him to sleep that evening. Chuck marked it off as another gift his children gave to him that day.

"It was tolerable," he conceded as he tugged at his tie, "It should hold me for at least fifty years."

"Let me do that," she pulled at his tie, freeing it and tossing it aside, "Just so you know, you handled tonight with the charm and humility that I knew you had in you. For being so well behaved, you get an extra special birthday reward."

"Bring on the lingerie and sex," he rubbed his hands together eagerly.

"I have something else for you first," Blair announced as she pulled out a wrapped package that she'd kept hidden for days.

"I don't need presents, Blair," he groaned, "Unless it's one of those calendars of you in various pieces of lingerie posed seductively."

"There are pictures, but not of me in lingerie and not seductively posed," she replied as he opened the box to reveal a photo album to commemorate all thirty years of his life, with many more blank pages to add years as they went, "I figured this could be something that we could do together as a family every year on your birthday. That way the children can celebrate your birthday with you, and maybe you'll start having happier memories of this day."

"I'd like that," Chuck nodded as he flipped through the first few pages of the book to find pictures of him at various ages, years before he'd known Blair or Serena or Nate, years in which there would only be pictures if Bart kept them. "I…ah…he kept these."

"He kept them," Blair confirmed as she ran her fingers through his hair, "Lily gave them to me a few months ago. She'd been going through some of her old things and found these in the safe. She thought you should have them. I've been saving them for a special occasion because we both know that your father can still be a hot button issue for you, even after all these years."

"I can't believe he kept these," Chuck continued to flip through the book.

Blair stroked his chin as their eyes locked, "Has this birthday been so bad?"

"It's been the best birthday of my life," he smiled softly as he dipped in to kiss her lips.

"That's not saying much," Blair frowned as she caressed his face as her head came to rest against his shoulder.

"I don't ever want a birthday party the size of the one I had tonight, but I might be persuaded into having a much smaller one next year, provided that the incentive is right," he gave her a leering gaze.

"That's a hint for trashy lingerie, isn't it?" she shook her head in amusement.

"Can you blame me?" he continued to stare at her intently, "When it's you in trashy lingerie...I cannot imagine a more beautiful sight."

"You're biased," she rolled her eyes, "I have the boobs and hips of a woman that's given birth three times."

"And how is that a bad thing?" he asked, "I happen to love those three kids that you've given birth to, and I love the boobs and hips that accompany the woman that gave them to me along with the rest of her."

"You always compliment me," she mused.

"Because I love you," he replied.

"You're too perfect sometimes," she shook her head, "You cannot be this perfect all the time. We've been married forever. How is it that you never stick your foot in your mouth regarding my appearance?"

"Because every inch of you is gorgeous," he gushed.

"You're so good with the one liners," she continued to shake her head in amusement, "It's so easy to see why you always had a bevy of beauties around you before me."

"They were one liners when I used them on everyone else, but they are the absolute truth when spoken about you," he replied.

"Chuck, stop," she shoved on his shoulder with an amused smirk on her face, "We're already married. You don't need to try so hard anymore."

Chuck pulled her against him, his eyes as serious as they'd ever been. "Every inch of your gorgeous body is as beautiful as it's ever been. I love you."

"Give me a few minutes," Blair freed herself from his grasp, "I have to get your birthday present ready."

"How about just a little bow?" he eyed her up and down.

"Close your eyes," she whispered in his ear, "I want to surprise you."

Chuck made himself comfortable on the bed as he waited for his birthday gift. To keep his mind from going to the dark places that the day could bring him, he flipped through the photo album that Blair had started. He knew she was a little bias as she sprinkled in as many pictures of the two of them as possible, but it still surprised him how much of his life had involved her. He'd actually understated earlier that day how much of his life he'd been in love with her. In reality, he thought he'd been in love with her from the first moment they'd met.

His smile widened as he started flipping though more recent photos, the ones from the start of their real relationship. The first picture was of the two of them taken during his first visit to the Eiffel Tower. He remembered the moment. They were having lunch with Nate after revealing their renewed relationship. Nate had given them his blessing. Nate had stolen Chuck's phone after their waiter had taken a picture of the three of them, and made the pair sit for the picture. Chuck had kept the photo as he wallpaper for over five years, until he was provided a portrait of Blair in her wedding dress. When he flipped a few pages more, her radiant glow on his arm in her wedding dress greeted him. With another flip of the page, he was holding Charlotte for the first time. A few pages more, it was Brice in his arms, and then to the final page in which he was holding Aiden.

The final picture added to the book was their Christmas portrait from the holidays. Blair and Charlotte were wearing matching red velvet dresses with white fur trimming the skirt. He and his boys were wearing Santa coats and hats. Aiden had begun smiling a week before the picture was taken. All three children had matching smiles in the picture.

"Are you ready for your present?" Blair called out from behind the closed bathroom.

Chuck quickly tossed the book aside as he confirmed that he was most definitely ready. Blair emerged in black crisscross lace chemise, thigh high stockings held up by the garter belt, and the briefest of panties.

"I think I improved upon last year's gift," Blair smirked.

"I don't know about that," he chuckled as he was off the bed and standing before her in an instant, "I've always enjoyed your pregnant curves."

"Well everything is now back where it should be," she replied as she spun so that he could get the full effect of her garment, "And those pregnant curves are behind us."

The tiny bow on her backside brought his hand to her ass for an affectionate smack.

"You said you wanted a bow," she smirked, "And I always aim to please."

"You do paint a very pleasurable picture," he took at step back to admire her.

"So, Mister Bass, have you earned your birthday sex this year?" she inquired as she backed him to the bed.

"I believe I have," he chuckled as she shoved his shoulders and sent him sprawling onto the bed.

"And what exactly have you done this past year to deserve such a gift?" she climbed over him, straddling his waist.

"Well, let's see," Chuck smirked as he reached for the scrapbook and flipped to the pages with the most recent pictures, "I contributed sperm to create our most recent offspring, although my contribution was unintended."

"I'll give you that one because Aiden is such a wonderful addition to the family even though he was…unexpected," she chuckled, "But technically you made that contribution before your last birthday."

"Does being the loving husband and doting father get me anything?" he smirked.

"You use that every year," she threw her head back to laugh.

"Because those are two things that I feel most qualify," he laughed with her, "And I was a very well-behaved birthday boy at the party that was held in my honor even though I didn't want one."

"And I believe I had to provide some incentive earlier this afternoon to get you there," she scolded him.

"You would have offered up that particular service either way," Chuck gave her a knowing smirk, "It's tradition."

"Oh really," her eyes shimmered with amusement.

"Since our tutorial session many years ago in which I provided zero instruction, you have provided the same such service every year on my birthday," he informed her.

"I was rather instinctive, wasn't I?" she beamed.

"And without a doubt the best to ever offer such a service," he praised her.

"I doubt that," she snorted, "You used to pay professionals to provide such services."

"And you'd think they would have superior skills, but I guess it's something that can't truly be taught," he smirked.

"And it always brings a smile to your face," she laughed, "Even just talking about it. You should see your face right now. You're practically giddy."

"When I have someone as beautiful and talented as my wife to provide said services, why wouldn't I be."

"You're too charming sometimes," she shook her head as she began opening each button of the dress shirt he was wearing. Her actions were his signal that he was going to get his reward.

"On the contrary," he smirked, "I'm just charming enough."

"So I hope this day was fit for a king as I intended," she nuzzled into his neck as she peeled his shirt away, "I know you don't see yourself as our king, but the children and I do."

"If it was your goal, it was achieved," he assured her as she continued with her gift well into the night.

**The End.**

**Thank you everyone for taking another journey with me. Some of you have been with me from the very beginning, for four plus years, and I hope you have continued to enjoy each story. Wow, where has the time gone? Your encouragement is one of the main reasons I keep going.**

**I'm thinking the next journey we go on might be the much requested sequel to Manic. Stay tuned.**


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